Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule

Just what landlords need, more regulation and paperwork...


About MDRR

The Director of the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (Division) is mandated to enforce the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination with regard to discrimination in real property because of race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, marital status, domestic partnership status, familial status, affectional or sexual adopted by the Division require that the "owner...of every multiple apartment dwelling which has 25 units or more shall file an annual report with the Division on Civil Rights concerning the racial/ethnic designation of the leaseholders and applicants of the owner’s multiple dwelling, whether any of its buildings or developments are barrier-free, and factors affecting its composition." N.J.A.C. 13:10-2.2(a). In accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:10-2.4(b), each report must be submitted to the Division on or before January 30th of each year using the Division’s reporting form.
For more info see http://www.njcivilrights.org/mdrr.html#fsf

See reporting form at:
http://www.njcivilrights.org/downloads/tenant_applic_inquiry_form.pdf

Highlighted Changes to the MDRR Regulations

Important Changes in Definitions:
13:10-1.1 Words and phrases defined:"Barrier Free" means adequate and sufficient features which are available in buildings or structures so as to make them accessible to and usable by people with physical disabilities."Racial/ethnic designation" means designation in one or more of the following classifications:
1. Black or African American: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Africa;
2. Hispanic or Latino: a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American or other Spanish origin or culture, or a person having a Spanish surname;
3. Asian: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontienent, including Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Phippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam;
4. American Indian or Alaska Native: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North or South America;
5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands;
6. White or Caucasian: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middles East, or North Africa.
Important Changes in Record Keeping Requirements:
Filing of reports 13:10-2.4(b)The report is now due on January 30 of each year beginning January 30, 2000, and continuing. Each annual report shall include information for January 1, through December 31 of the preceding year. No report shall be due on October 15, 1999. Instead, the report due on January 30, 2000, shall include information covering October 15, 1998 through December 31, 1999.
Maintenance of records 13:10-2.5(b)Records must be kept on file for a period of three years and must be produced for inspection during business hours upon request of the Division on Civil Rights.